Plusnet mobile does not support shortcodes to sms!

Short Codes are short numbers (instead of full telephone numbers) which are used for quick response to all sorts of services many of which are premium services (such as competition lines) but also, increasingly, for information services such as banks (account info & balances etc), energy companies (accounts and usage), education (schools, colleges etc) and all manner of other organisations. Even sending a "stop" message to nuisance marketeers requires the use of a short code number! But Plusnet (who do you proud!), unlike other proper mobile phone providers, does not support the use of short codes! Had I known of this I would not have signed up with Plusnet in the first place but there is no mention of this fact on their website. When I discovered the issue (trying to respond to my bank by shortcode sms) I was at first perplexed and then annoyed. I contacted Plusnet customer support who confirmed that short codes were not supported, I asked why and was told that it is “policy” to prevent customers running up heavy bills by using premium cost services. I asked why customers can’t just opt in or out of the service I was told that “this was not possible” (though it is apparently possible for other companies). I complained that it was not made clear on their website and was somewhat cheekily told “well, it wouldn’t make very good marketing sense to tell people what we don’t provide now would it”. When I pointed out that a reputable company (one that would “make you proud”) should be clear, honest and upfront about all features or lack of features that are or are not being offered so that people are able to make a truly informed decision as to whether or not to sign up. I was then told that there had been lots complaints about this on various forums and suggested that I should have searched the internet and done more research into this before I had signed up! The suggestion being that it was somehow my fault for trusting their website and not checking elsewhere that they deliberately chose to keep essential information hidden away from potential customers! Can’t I be forgiven for assuming that, since this is a normal feature of any normal phone service and since it was not specifically presented as being excluded, I surely should expect to be able to use normal modern methods such as short codes to deal with my bank, my electric company or any other organisation or service I chose! And so what if I want to enter some competition at a premium rate of £2 or £3 pounds? It should be MY CHOICE. I am not a child or an imbecile! I am so outraged and this is such an annoying inconvenience that I shall definitely NOT be renewing my contract with Plusnet! It’s very arrogant and quite insulting of Plusnet to take the view that their customers are generally so moronic that they can’t be trusted to decide for themselves whether or not to use shortcodes. Such a blanket ban of all short codes with no facility or choice to opt in or out is ridiculous and causes lots of issues for many of us. Not what we should expect from a reputable mobile phone provider! Who knows what else Plusnet may decide we are not yet sensible or ‘grown up’ enough to decide for ourselves!

PLUSNET response on FB

Hi Peter, thanks very much for getting in touch. We appreciate all feedback as it allows to improve as a service provider. We're a no frills company and we want to keep our customers costs down whilst providing a great service, preventing texts to short codes is just one of the ways we can ensure this happens. While we appreciate this can be a useful service, short numbers can often be linked with nuisance texts which can wrack up massive bills. One way we can protect our customers from nuisance marketeers and potential scams, is to block all texts to and from short numbers. We appreciate all our customers and the only way we can guarantee you won't be hassled by a potential short number hoax is to block these short codes entirely. We like to take on board all of our customers' views here at Plusnet as we want everyone to have the best experience possible with us. While there is no mention of short codes in our term and conditions because this isn't a service we provide, I'll forward this on as something we could implement in the future as we really do value your opinion! -Sarah

My response to Plusnet:You do not block incoming sort code texts only outgoing ones! You operate a cap on bills so it is not possible to "wrack up massive bills" Most people are not inundated with huge amounts of nuisance calls and scams from short code numbers and if one does get the odd nuisance call it is a simple matter to block it on your device. Statistically most short code calls are useful and wanted. Most nuisance and scam calls are not from short code numbers but from other sources. You can not seek to "guarantee" that customers wont be hassled by hoaxers, scammers and nuisance callers, this still happens. All that is achieved by a short code blanket ban is inconvenience, irritation and insult to your customers. There is simply no weight or logic in your argument or the submissions you have put forward in your response. If there is some technical or financial reason that you are not capable of providing this service then it would be much better to be open and honest and own up to it, this would at least be acceptable as a reason,whereas asserting that it is somehow for the customers own good is absolutely not.

PLUSNET response:We do operate a Smart Cap on all our SIMS, this can be set between £2 - £30. Customers may have a high smart cap for adding boltons, sendimg MMS messages or using their phone abroad. These customers could still wrack up bills within their smart cap on short code messaging. To ensure our cap is used to it's full potential and only allows for services customers want we block these short codes. However I will feed this back as something we could potentially implement in the future. -Sarah

My response to Plusnet:Sarah, I don't think you could have read all of my last post! Anyway, stop. The customer knows what's best for them and what they want from a service provider. Allow us some intelligence please. Offer us freedom and choice not enforcement. Especially as you are getting it so clearly wrong.

Re: Plusnet mobile does not support shortcodes to sms!

Thanks for getting in touch with us and leaving your feedback, it's much appreciated.

I understand you've already been advised of the relevant information regarding short code numbers and we're aware that most of the banking companies and services such as the NHS use these on a regular basis. However, it's not a feature that we provide or support at this moment in time.

This has been taken on board and fed back to the relevant department; hopefully this is a process that they can implement in the future.

Re: Plusnet mobile does not support shortcodes to sms!

This problem has just hit my husband and only a matter of time before it affects me. I can only reiterate what other people are saying that it is completely unacceptable that this service is not supported, that you don't declare it before people move to you and that it leaves phones unable to receive ANY calls and texts.Please can you provide an explanation of how to start receiving incoming calls and texts again or do we need to leave Plusnet to have a usable service?

Re: Plusnet mobile does not support shortcodes to sms!

How can you find out which (if any) other mobile providers do not support short codes?

I suspect that Plusnet could find themselves to be the only provider. If this was publicised more widely (e.g Moneysavingexpert.com) it is possible the adverse response generated would make Plusnet consider a change.

Re: Plusnet mobile does not support shortcodes to sms!

Am I correct in thinking that if I am sent a text message from a short code, requiring a reply, from my bank or Government Gateway for example, that this will not be received, and furthermore will block all further incoming calls and texts?

I would be grateful if Plusnet would respond with a definitive answer, as if correct this is very worrying.

I understand you've already been advised of the relevant information regarding short code numbers and we're aware that most of the banking companies and services such as the NHS use these on a regular basis. However, it's not a feature that we provide or support at this moment in time.

I'm sorry you we're unable to find the information regarding short code numbers. The reason this isn't listed on our website is because as you know, we don't support these services. You can find all the number's we do support and charges over at https://www.plus.net/help/legal/mobile-price-guide/. However, I'll be sure to feed this suggestion back to the relevant team.

Re: Plusnet mobile does not support shortcodes to sms!

Yes I agree.I have waited for some positive movement on this issue from PN but I'm afraid they still seem to be in denial.Cant wait forever for them to wake up so it's time to look elsewhere I think. Right now Virgin Mobile are looking promising, same data more minutes, self cap, rollover unused data, no extra for roaming, free FB & WA data, 250k free wifi hotspots and, guess what, SHORT CODE support! All this for just 50p more than PN! And its on a 30 day contract with EE.

Re: Plusnet mobile does not support shortcodes to sms!

Today I received a text message from BT (Plusnet's owner) following up on a problem I had reported with my landline. This was from a short code and it was asking for information so I had no way of replying. Fortunately the person who was trying to contact me called me on my mobile. She was unaware that some mobile phone companies do not allow replies to these numbers, and when I said it was Plusnet she said she would escalate to her management. Not that I expect anything will come of it.

Re: Plusnet mobile does not support shortcodes to sms!

Well good luck with that then. But if you are like me and think that a service provider should actually "provide service" then why hang around and wait at your expense and inconvenience until poorly driven arrogant and inefficient companies like PN wake up. Why not do as I and others have done/ are doing and change to a better, efficient customer service led provider who actually takes notice of customer needs and treats them with respect. There are other very competitive alternatives out there, I have recently changed to Virgin Mobile for the same price but with more data, more minutes, same coverage (EE) and better service (including short code texting) plus other bonus features. This is not meant to be an advert for Virgin particularly but the sooner Plusnet realises that unless they change their policy and poor attitude and start to respect their customer base the sooner they can stop loosing customers and start to rebuild their reputation.